Dog Food - your advice please

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Ok, I've read the other threads, but they are sort of old.

I've been feeding Lily Eukanuba Wild and Natural or something like that, but I'd like to feed her something that's a little better quality. I also want to be a little careful about the grains....she's pretty reactive.

So I ordered some Orijen - the one with all of the fish.

Anyway, the orijen gave her incredible diarrhea. I started giving her small bits in with her regular food, and after a couple of days, whoosh. Stopped the food, stool became more normal. Tried it again, ... accident on the carpet. No joy. So I think she just can't eat these premium dog foods. Had the same problem in the US with innova. In the US we fed her timberland organics and she did really well with it. Can't get it here.

So lately I've been feeding her a mix of boiled ground beef and rice (my old standard sick dog mix) mixed in with chopped carrot, zucchini and apple. She also likes pumpkin, beets and celery root and pretty much any sort of protein. She loves this, her stool is small and hard and she seems calm, too. And I don't mind doing it, but I also want some dog food options. Also, if I'm going to continue this, I need to suppliment her diet with a few things..

I guess what I'm looking for is a low wheat-corn, good quality protein, not a lot of chemical and weird animal parts, good quality dog food, but probably not such a high protein content. I also tried mixing the Orijen with rice (in the second go 'round), but that didn't help.

What do you suggest that you can get in Switzerland? I also want something that comes in small bags (3 kg, for example). Yes, I know there are more cost effective ways to buy dog food, but especially in the summer it gets stale.

Thanks for any suggestions....

2
The vet suggested Purina ProPlan puppy range for my labrador and he's never had any averse reactions to it. Within in the puppy range (and adult range), there is sensitive for intolerant stomachs with Salmon, Robust puppy and large puppy.

3
Our foster Lab was doing well on Eukanuba puppyfood but when we switched to adultfood, she had mild tummy problems and a bit of vomiting. So she was put on Hill Science Plan Blue Whiting (fish based) on which she did really well. (Less farting too!) It comes in bags of 1.5kg and maybe even 3kg (the food, not the wind). After a while she was given the lamb-based Hill Science Plan, which was also good.

Now the school has put her on the chicken-based one, which is a bit cheaper than the lamb one, but I think she's back to farting a bit (but not so bad that we're falling about the floor dying).

4
The limited choice we have here is so frustrating, isn't it?

Mine also had problems with high protein/low or no grain premium foods. One developed diarrhea, one bounced off the walls. Finding something that suits the individual is awfully tough.

I now feed two of mine on Magnusson Meat and Biscuit Light which is 20% protein, 8% fat (There is also a 24% protein, 12% fat version). The Magnusson is meat not meat meal, and baked not extruded so not at all greasy; the extra oil in the premium brands seems to be what didn't set well with mine I think. It's a simple food with not too many ingredients - this has been important in managing my little guy's chronic IBD. Magnusson is KRAV certified (Swedish organic certification) so that checks another of my boxes.

The Magnusson may have too much grain (wheat) for your girl, though. The smallest bag is 5kg.

http://www.hundmat.com/en/complete-food-meat-a-biscuit

I also do a home-cooked diet: chicken or white fish, green beans, zuchinni, carrot, sweet potato. I add Vi-min, a vitamin supplement designed for home cooked diets, from Bosch:

http://www.bosch-tiernahrung.de/inde...an=1&x=474&y=4

The two younger dogs get their daily portion of the Magnusson one piece of kibble at a time - training rewards - throughout the day. This is the bulk of their diet. The home-cooked is for when a bowl of food is appropriate. The almost toothless oldie only has the kibble, made into a mush so that he can lap it up.

Both the Magnusson and the Vi-min are available from Meiko.

http://www.meiko.ch/

The oldie with IBD's latest blood chemistry shows some rather worrying liver and kidney values - so we are now struggling to find something that is appropriate for all three conditions. Liver and kidney prescription diets have caused IBD flare-ups, only the Magnusson keeps that in check. We have been referred to a nutritionist connected with the Tierspital - when we have a solution, I'll update.

---

I hope you find something that works for Lily.

5
I had the same problem here. Puppy was eating normally then suddenly we had lots of accidents. Went to the vet for quite a few times, gave him tablets but no solution. Accidentaly we realised that the stool went from normal to liquidy everytime we changed his food. So he had to find food that worked for him.

Sounds simple but it was not. The mutt for some reason refused to eat only dry food so the only way to get him to eat was to mix dry food with that canned dog food. Another problem though. He wouldnt accept any dry food and any wet food. So after lots of trial and error using 5 types of dry food and 4 types of wet food, (around 20 different mixtures - imagine the state of the house during trials ) we found out that the only combination that works is purina pro plan puppy digestion (pet shop - expensive) mixed with pedigree canned food (coop - cheap). If he eats anything else even a tiny piece of meat, his stomach gets upset and we have to start all over again...

6
In the UK we used to feed our woofer James Wellbeloved dry food, which was brilliant for his stomach, before we discovered he could eat that he had mainly been eating rice, carrots etc because of poo problems.

In Switzerland I haven't been able to find it so have switched to Royal Canine (recommended by our vet and we can get it delivered to our house) which so far has not caused us any problems.

The variety and different flavours of dog food over here is pretty limited.

7
What a great post, I've been wondering about the same thing. Fressnapf really doesn't have such a great selection, and don't even get me started on COOP, Migros, etc., -- Meloncollie, where do you get the Vi Min stuff? We home cook our dogs their meals about half the time, but I worry they don't get the right vitamins. I haven't found a supplement yet, that stuff looks fantastic!

Oh, and we do the Pro Plan stuff, too. Our vet raved about it and our very picky and bowel-sensitive dogs have no problem with it whatsoever, they just nom it up.

8
Just kidding, second link, online shop. Brilliant.

9
Thanks so much for all of the suggestions so far. I'll try some of these versions and I'll definitley get the suppliment. It's easy enough to cook up a big bowl of rice or potato with meat and the veggies, she eats raw, except for pumpkin which I steam or roast and then smash it up.

The eukanuba wild and natural - salmon that we got was also really good, and when I looked it up on one of those food rating sites, it was the best food that eukanuba made in terms of ingredients.

Thanks again..

e.

10
We have been feeding a grain-free, higher protein (30%) food called Predator. Imported from Holland. We fed Solid Gold in the US, but can't find it here.

We order it from a Swiss husband/wife team: http://solidgoldswiss.ch/

They also carry Natural Balance. A bit pricy, but they do carry smaller bags.

fduvall

11
I actually used to make my own dog food.

Prompted by the fear of my other half (at the time) picking up 'dog eggs' from the back yard.... I needed a 'firmer' (pun intended) solution to the problem.

Anyway, I used (in order of volume): Low grade butchers mince Brown rice packet of frozen vegetable handful of b ran flakes (or psyllium husk - whatever was cheaper at the time) Gravox Salt (add at the end - not the start) (When they were puppies, I added a dry 'calcium powder' as well).

No rocket science here people.... just chuck it all into a big pot and boil it up on a low heat.

Let it cool and spoon the servings into sealable plastic bags and freeze them.

Pull one out the night before to defrost and feed the hungy hound with it the next night.

Repeat.

I also used to add a fresh egg into the mix.

Result: Super healthy hounds, gleaming coats, white teeth, no bad breath, and picking up after them was easy...... oh, and they LOVED the food.

In big enough portions (hence freezing) this was also equally as cheap as processed food, only infinitly healthier for the hounds.

This could all be done while you did other house hold chores.... took about an hour a week.

12
Hi, I feed jazz our lab/spaniel cross Biomill, he loves it as it is small bits and you can get in 3kg bags, this one i found didnt upset his tummy the same and you get it for sensitive tummies too. dont know if it a premium dog food or not but like i said he loves it and is gentle on his tummy so no complaints here , we buy the huge ones and just store it in a sealable bin. Stays fresh for ages.

13
Before retiring early I worked in the pet food business and I was once a director of the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, where we assured that ethical practices were employed by all members. My wife is a fully trained nutritionist working on dog and cat food and veterinary diets for one of the worlds largest pet food manufacturers.

Buy a high quality product such as Eukanuba, Purina Pro Plan or Royal Canin. These and other reputable companies have spent years on research. DO NOT MAKE YOUR OWN HEATH ROBINSON PET FOOD. Long term, your beloved pet will suffer.

14

Then from your point of view, how do you explain constant farting and sloppy poo?

Dogs didn't evolve around tinned food.

You may have a lot of 'stats' to support the diet, but I have an endless period of time picking up crap from the backyard to know what makes a dog healthy and what doesn't.

I agree with you that if you are to buy processed foods, then buy the top end range, but I totally disagree with you that making your own food is bad for the hound.

My recipe is posted above, please feel free to break it down for me.

I started to make my own dog food because of processed foods. I had the approval of our Vet (who supplied the calcium powder).

15
I agree with both stances, I think the dog's body (as well as his tongue) would be happiest with a variety of both top-shelf food as well as some "real man's" meat, veggies, grain and beer (just kidding).

Billhardie, do you have a CH version of "Gravox" you'd recommend?

16
Never heard of heath robinson, so I don't know anything about that.

And, what's gravox?

I have looked at numerous dog food rating sites, and it turns out that eukanuba, royal canin, etc. all end up right in the middle of the pack. I was interested in feeding my dog something else because she's got some behavioral issues, which could be exacerbated by too much grain in her food. As it turns out, the high protein premium foods don't work either, so here I am.

17
I'm with you Billhardie except my boy is on a raw meat and bones diet with pulverished fruit and veg. He has never been better and I would never feed any other way.

Unfortunately I am going to have to semi put him back on dry commercial food shortly in preparation for a 30 day stint in Australian quarantine where he will have to be completely on dry food.

I will definitely be using the most basic high grade food I can find. Something similar to Solid Gold or Predator.

I can't wait to be back at home in Australia and being able to source and feed raw so much easier and he will be able to bury bones in the garden again.

18
Gravox is an Australian product. It's basically a powdered instant gravy . (Just add boiling water and stir).

I have no idea what the equivilant product maybe.... but please note that this has NO nutritional value, it just helps make the food smell good, so be conservative.

Also, yes, the meat meal was provided with a base of Eukanuba dried food.

19
I hear you on the behavioral issues, I feel like such a twit, I had no idea that could be exacerbated by too much grain -- how does everyone afford to feed their animals sole meat/real people food diets here? My husband and I've only time to run to Coop/Migros/Manor during the week, and it's so sky high expensive, like feeding two extra people (we have two dogs). Are the butcher prices better?

Thanks for the gravox answer, I figured as much!!

Total dimwit questions, sorry for leaching off your thread, edot.

20
Our English Setter used to have the runs because of the meds for his auto immune disease. Boy, he could paint the walls, I'm not kidding. Our Boarding Kennels in Valais (excellent by the way - they are champion breeders) recommended Flatazor and after that we had few problems. Our boy had the low protein one.

http://www.flatazor.ch/unsereprodukt...ige/index.html

I guess people have set ideas about dog food. The breeder in the UK we bought our Setter from fed his dogs on a diet of tripe and boiled potato. Swore by it.